Tumor collection/processing under physioxia uncovers highly relevant signaling networks and drug sensitivity.

Preclinical studies of primary cancer cells are typically done after tumors are removed from patients or animals at ambient atmospheric oxygen (O, ~21%). However, O concentrations in organs are in the ~3 to 10% range, with most tumors in a hypoxic or 1 to 2% O environment in vivo. Although effects of O tension on tumor cell characteristics in vitro have been studied, these studies are done only after tumors are first collected and processed in ambient air.

MAL2 drives immune evasion in breast cancer by suppressing tumor antigen presentation.

Immune evasion is a pivotal event in tumor progression. To eliminate human cancer cells, current immune checkpoint therapy is set to boost CD8+ T cell-mediated cytotoxicity. However, this action is eventually dependent on the efficient recognition of tumor-specific antigens via T cell receptors.